Intercontinental Bangkok - Hotel Review - A Genuine 5 Star Experience!
The Intercontinental Bangkok is a true 5-star property, from the rooms, facilities, restaurants, location and most importantly people - you will be hard pressed to find a superior destination in Bangkok....
The Thaifoodies team recently stayed at the beautiful Intercontinental Hotel Bangkok to conduct a review and came away from the experience true Intercontinental fans! Read on to see why.
Location
Location, location, location is the key of any great hotel and Intercontinental Hotel's location is the envy of most hotels dotting downtown Bangkok. To be clear, this is a busy city hotel targeting urban explorers, conferences, weddings, business travellers etc. Located at the Ratchaprasong intersection the hotel is within walking distance to major shopping venues like the massive Central World, Central Embassy, Central Chidlom, Amarin Plaza, Siam Square, Discovery, and the height of luxury shopping and eating - Siam Paragon. Visitors need not walk however as the elevated train station at Chidlom (BTS) is only a short walk away. The train will quickly whisk travellers in air conditioned comfort around the all the most popular attractions in the downtown area.
Rooms
The Thaifoodies team stayed in Deluxe King rooms that were extremely spacious with very roomy bathrooms. Our rooms were squeaky clean, rugs, linen, towels, fixtures etc were spotless. Free high speed wifi with an nice big flatscreen, as expected. The AC in our rooms was soundless, as well as nice and cold when required. The beds, oh the beds! So comfortable! Room service, even at 1 AM - we wanted a snack before bed, was prompt and yummy! We did not want to head back home! Check out the slideshow below to get a feel for Intercontinental rooms...
Dining
The Intercontinental Bangkok boasts 5 different dining options for you to enjoy...
The Balcony and Humidor Cigar Bar
The Thaifoodies team often visits The Balcony for a drink or business meet ups we hadn't tried the afternoon tea before so we jumped at the opportunity. The towering tea set was both savory and sweet with delectable treats that sated our formidable appetites. In addition to tea The Balcony offers a full bar menu with a large range of Thai and continental plates served all day. A wonderful spot to sit and watch the busy hotel tick over around you. We don't smoke ourselves but if you do, check out the Humidor Cigar Bar for your favorite brand of stogie and perhaps a glass of single malt. Ah Luxury! Have a look at our pics of The Balcony in the slideshow below...
The Deli
Offering delectable sandwiches, pastries, breads, desserts, juices, coffee to go or enjoy in-house
image from IHG website
Espresso
A favorite of locals seeking an up-scale buffet lunch, Espresso is your one-stop destination for breakfast, lunch or dinner. The buffet is huge, featuring Thai, Japanese, Chinese, Indian and Continental fare. We dined at Espresso for breakfast and were astounded at the choices on offer; my children (mini-foodies) made several trips to the buffet bar and ate until they were stuffed. Breakfast is a busy affair at Espresso but the amazing team at the Intercontinental made us feel like we were the only people in the whole place. My favorite was the made-to-order pancakes with real maple syrup!
image from IHG website
The Mio
Italian in the finest tradition can be found at The Mio. The team dropped by The Mio for a late lunch snack. We snacked on pizza, bruschetta, salads, pasta and an amazing bacon-wrapped white asparagus - HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The Italian wines at The Mio were wonderful and competitively priced. We even opted for a evening bottle after dinner! Check out the slideshow below to get a feel of The Mio.
Summer Palace
Located next to Espresso Summer Palace is the place to hit if you want to sample a fantastic Dim Sum lunch or full-course Chinese banquet dinner. The team did not have time to visit Summer Palace this trip but we will be heading back soon to conduct a full review.
image from IHG website
Fireplace Grill and Bar
A Bangkok institution, Fireplace Bar and Grill is the spot for prime steaks and fresh seafood. The Thaifoodies team did a full review of Fireplace Grill and Bar.
image from IHG website
Click the link below to read:
Facilities
Thaifoodies really loves food (What!) so you won't be surprised to learn that we didn't hit the gym during our visit. We did stop by to have a look at the Intercontinental Bangkok gym, spa and the amazing rooftop pool. The gym is extremely modern with all the equipment you will need to keep fit while travelling. The team at the gym were very warm, welcoming and helpful. The Spa was beautiful to behold but alas we didn't have the time to partake this trip. Next time! The rooftop pool is wonderful if a bit small. Staffed by friendly faces, you need only ask for whatever you need from a extra towel to a pool-side cocktail to a mid-swim snack. The view from the top floor is amazing! In the evenings the pool is lit up with multicolor lights that dazzle, my little foodies loved it!
Club Lounge
Although we didn't opt for Club Room this visit the team has visited the Intercontinental Bangkok Club Lounge in the past for business activities and it is one of the best in town. A more sedate place to take your breakfast than Espresso but with fewer options, the lounge features free soft drinks, tea, coffee and snacks in the afternoon with heartier fare - beer, wine and cocktails in the evenings amid stunning views of Bangkok. The lounge team can help you with check in and out as well to avoid potential waiting. Club rooms come at a premium but if you wish that bit of extra service we think you should spoil yourself!
Service
Hospitality is all about people, and in this area the Intercontinental Bangkok really shines. The Thaifoodies team stayed at the hotel during a very busy weekend, the hotel was full and had a huge convention in house. Despite the challenges we always felt like we were special and all staff were ever helpful and never failed to give us that warm, genuine Thai smile. As is usual with most visits, we experienced a couple hiccups during our stay and this is where the Intercontinental Bangkok's team went out of their way to satisfy. Well done to the entire Intercontinental Bangkok team for making our stay absolutely wonderful.
Verdict
As the Thaifoodies team lives in Bangkok we don't have much of a chance to stay at city hotels in the area so while we have frequented the Intercontinental bangkok's restaurants this was our first actual stay. This gave us a true appreciation of the level of excellence the Intercontinental Bangkok strives for and ultimately achieves. The Thaifoodies team are experts in all things hospitality with an obvious focus on food. Our intrepid food critic Babe really put the Intercontinental Bangkok team through their paces and they came out 5 Star special! Personally, after 20 years of business travel across the globe I can honestly attest that this visit was one of the best I've ever had.
If you are seeking a 5-star experience with an unparalleled location in downtown Bangkok then the choice is very simple - book your stay at the Intercontinental Bangkok - you will thank us!
Check out the link to the Intercontinental Bangkok website below.
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